The Regulative Principle of Worship: A Bulwark Against Popery

And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire, which I did not command, nor did it come into My heart. (Jeremiah 7:31)

We hence perceive that there is no end of sinning, when men give themselves up to their own inventions; for God surrenders those to Satan, that they may be led by the spirit of giddiness and of madness and of stupidity. Let us therefore learn ever to regard what God approves: and let this be the very beginning of our inquiry, whenever we undertake anything, whether God commands it; and this course ought especially to be observed with regard to his worship; for, as it has been already stated, religion is especially founded on faith, and faith is based on the word of God: and hence it is here added —

Which I commanded them not, and which never came to my mind This reason ought to be carefully noticed, for God here cuts off from men every occasion for making evasions, since he condemns by this one phrase, “I have not commanded them,” whatever the Jews devised. There is then no other argument needed to condemn superstitions, than that they are not commanded by God: for when men allow themselves to worship God according to their own fancies, and attend not to his commands, they pervert true religion.

And if this principle was adopted by the Papists, all those fictitious modes of worship, in which they absurdly exercise themselves, would fall to the ground. It is indeed a horrible thing for the Papists to seek to discharge their duties towards God by performing their own superstitions. There is an immense number of them, as it is well known, and as it manifestly appears. Were they to admit this principle, that we cannot rightly worship God except by obeying his word, they would be delivered from their deep abyss of error. The Prophet’s words then are very important, when he says, that God had commanded no such thing, and that it never came to his mind; as though he had said, that men assume too much wisdom, when they devise what he never required, nay, what he never knew.

John Calvin, Commentaries on the book of the prophet Jeremiah and the Lamentations, trans. and ed. John Owen (Geneva, 1589) in Calvin’s commentaries (22 vols, Grand Rapids, 1993), ix, 413-14.

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An old Ministry of Truth interview between Gordon Comstock & Darryl Eberhart.

The Ministry of Truth was a website run by Gordon Comstock that featured interviews on a variety of topics, from theology to health, science, history, and more. This was the website that first made me aware that there was a historicist interpretation of biblical prophecy. Unfortunately, the Ministry of Truth is no longer online, and neither are its archives which were once available at thinkorbebeaten.com (Vyzygoth/Keith Hanson’s old site). I do not know why Gordon Comstock and Vyzygoth have removed their work from the internet, but someone kindly posted this on YouTube so people can listen:

“To sin by silence when we should protest Makes cowards out of men. The human race Has climbed on protest. Had no voice been raised Against injustice, ignorance and lust, The Inquisition yet would serve the law, And guillotines decide our least disputes. The few who dare must speak, and speak again,” To right the wrongs of many. ~Shall Unbelief Win? A reply to Dr. Fosdick, by Clarence Edward Macartney

“The World is trying the experiment of attempting to form a civilized but non-Christian mentality. The experiment will fail; but we must be very patient in awaiting its collapse; meanwhile redeeming the time: so that the Faith may be preserved alive through the dark ages before us; to renew and rebuild civilization, and save the World from suicide.”
~From T. S. Eliot’s essay “Thoughts after Lambeth.” [1931]

"I denounce you, anti-Christ! I refuse you as Christ's enemy and Antichrist with all your false doctrine" ~Dr. Ian Paisley

“I defy the Pope and all his laws. If God spare my life ere many years, I will cause the boy that drives the plow to know more of the scriptures than you!” ~William Tyndale

“Lord, open the king of England’s eyes.” ~Martyr William Tyndale’s last words, October 6, 1536

"The condition required: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We must admit the record that God hath given in his gospel concerning his Son, and assent to it as faithful, and well worthy of all acceptation. We must approve the method God has taken of reconciling the world to himself by a Mediator; and accept of Christ as he is offered to us, and give up ourselves to be ruled and taught and saved by him. This is the only way and a sure way to salvation. No other way of salvation than by Christ, and no other way of our being saved by Christ than by believing in him; and no danger of coming short if we take this way, for it is the way that God has appointed, and he is faithful that has promised." ~Matthew Henry on Acts 16:31